About the South London Singers

Who we are

THE SOUTH LONDON SINGERS formed as a chamber choir in 1982. There are currently some 25 to 30 members (always room for more, if you enjoy singing and have a good voice), and the SLS is now firmly established on the local music scene in the Beckenham area.

The founding conductor of the South London Singers was Derek Williams. John Nightingale took over as Director in 1988 and stayed in this post for the next 25 years. Under his baton, the SLS continued to raise its musical standards and set new musical goals for itself. John helped to develop the choir's focus on the neglected portions of the English choral repertoire. With its current Director Julian Collings, who took up his appointment in May 2013, the choir seeks to maintain its level of musical attainment as it explores new musical avenues and develops the skills needed to meet new challenges.

The SLS tackles a wide-ranging repertoire encompassing sacred and secular music by composers of all periods from the 15th century to the present. It concentrates on works that are either unaccompanied or performed with an organ or small instrumental ensemble.

English music is a strong element in our programming, but works by a wide cross-section of continental and non-European composers are also performed. The choir has given well-received performances of baroque works, romantic partsongs, and American music. Programmes are designed to complement, rather than compete with, the activities of larger choral societies.